Posted by SandyWeb on April 22, 2006, at 18:00:44
In reply to Re: mirtazapine/remeron updates? » SLS, posted by jules354 on April 22, 2006, at 12:12:10
My experience with Remeron seems a bit different from yours. I've been on 45mg daily for almost 2 years for anxiety and a suicide attempt. I really had a lot of success with it, and I would still be on it except for the massive weight gain. The "Remeron Hunger". I gained over 50 pounds in those 2 years. I was concerned about diabetes, and even though Topamax was a wonder drug and stopped the hunger and made me lose lots of weight, the med was not approved for me due to not being an epileptic....and I had to give it up because I couldn't afford it. Without the Topamax, I knew the "Remeron Hunger" would return. And I was fitting into my regular clothes again!!! Do you know how wonderful that is?
I quit both Topamax (225 mg daily) and Remeron (45 mg daily) cold-turkey. I had to. I was out of Topamax, and I COULD NOT allow the hunger to come back. I quit both these meds, which I loved both of them, on April 13th.....10 days ago. I'm fine. I had a little ringing in my ears, and I can't say that anything more happened....other than I still do not have an appetite. I'm still losing weight, which is fine with me. I know that I'll start getting hungry one day.
So....it CAN be done. I really thought I was going to have w/d problems with the Remeron because it is such a powerful med. But nothing. I feel fine. So some people may need to taper in order to get off the med, and some people may be able to just plain quit. I guess it all depends on individual body chemistry. Maybe try a cold-turkey quit. You may be surprised. But if w/d symptoms are a real factor, then most definately go to a taper.
I still use 100 mg Seroquel to help me sleep at night, so I'm not missing any shut-eye from the lack of Remeron. I use Inderal LA 80 mg twice per day to keep the adrenaline from flooding my heart and increasing my chances of a panic attack (plus keeps my BP and HR at a steady rhythum). And I have Klonopin for my pre-existing social anxiety. I've been on these meds basically as long as the Remeron; the Klonopin is a replacement for Ativan, which I didn't like.
I felt normal on Remeron. If not for the weight gain, I would have stayed on it because it wasn't doing any harm and I didn't know what to expect if I went off it. But again...I'm fine. A great deal of life stressors right now (oh boy!!!), but everything is coming along as expected. Some tears, some anxiety....but to be expected for what is happening right now in my life.
I wish you all the best in your tapering or cold-turkey. I guess I've just been lucky. And I absolutely LOVE not having so many pills to take anymore!!!!!!!
Good luck to you all!
Sandy
poster:SandyWeb
thread:613132
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/wdrawl/20060412/msgs/635937.html